The US forces were deployed in the area to support Kurdish forces – a key ally of the US in the conflict in Syria.
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Townsend is the first senior military commander to speak on the record about the U.S. possibly challenging the Syrian Air Force in the wake of an incident just days ago.
Townsend, who took command this week, made the remarks following what defense officials described as an “unusual” incident Thursday in northern Syria in which the regime of President Bashar al-Assad used warplanes to attack an area near where USA special operations forces were operating in support of Kurdish forces, which are the Americans’ key ally in the conflict.
In response, the U.S.
“I don’t want to make promises, but I intend to have Mosul and Raqqa done on my watch”, Townsend told Stars and Stripes on the sidelines of the change of command ceremony in Baghdad in which he succeeded Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland. Intensified attacks by USA and allied planes would give allied forces “the breathing space to do that”, he said.
The Army general cautioned that the Islamic State would continue to pose a threat in small cities and towns and in rural areas of both Iraq and Syria.
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was previously rumoured to have been killed, is still in control, according to Townsend.
French fighter jets conducted more air strikes against the Islamic State (IS) targets in Rekka, its stronghold in Syria, the country’s defense ministry announced on Monday.
Townsend said the USA government had discussed the strikes with Russian officials, who signaled that their influence over Syrian government actions may be limited.
“We’re going to move out together”, he said.
Townsend, who has served as the commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps since 2015, previously commanded USA troops in insurgent-hit areas of Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Do I think ISIL will be gone from Iraq and Syria?” he asked, using another acronym for ISIS. “No”.
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US, British, and French Special Operation troops have been advising local forces fighting in northern and eastern Syria since late previous year.
